Jack's Hell: Extended Version
by gawilliams
Summary: An extended version of Jack's Hell with enhanced scenes and an added one at the end. Jack deals with his hell of having to wait for Carter for several years.


I was asked by several people to write a longer version to the original Jack's Hell, so here is what I came up with. I hope you enjoy it.

Disclaimer: I don't own or profit from these characters or franchise in any way. No Copyright infringement is intended.

_**Oval Office, White House, Washington, DC**_

Brigadier General Jack O'Neill was not in a good mood. He'd been enjoying a great vacation at his cabin with his three best friends, and then he'd been called away to come here to the White House to see the President and his former Commanding Officer, Lieutenant General George Hammond. This was not a good thing. Just that morning he and Carter had been discussing plans for themselves that included a lot of alone time and hot sex. He had finally decided to hand in his retirement papers and had done so just before they had left on the trip. Now instead of making all sorts of hot plans with Carter, he was in his dress blues about to enter the Oval Office. Yep. Definitely not a good thing.

"You can go in now, General O'Neill," the President's Secretary told him.

"Thank you," he said politely. He stood, straightened his dress jacket, tucked his hat under his left arm, and marched into the Oval Office. He stood to attention and saluted the man he still really did not like too well.

President Henry Hayes smiled and offered his hand. He could see George off to the side watching very carefully. George had warned him that this could get ugly. Taking in the tight expression on the former Black Ops officer's face, he could see just how right George was.

"Thank for coming on such short notice, General," Hayes said warmly.

"I didn't have much of a choice, Sir," Jack responded tartly. He was not in a good mood, and he was not about to put on a show for this shrub.

"Jack," Hammond chided.

"Sorry, Sir," Jack said openly, though the other two men in the room knew he was only directing the comment at Hammond.

Hayes sighed. This was not how he wanted to have this meeting, but George's medical report of the day before and the information that O'Neill had submitted his retirement papers the week before had made it necessary.

"I've got a new assignment for you, General, and a promotion to Major General," he began.

"No," Jack said very forcefully.

"You're to be the new Head of Homeworld Security, replacing George," Hayes continued doggedly.

"No," Jack said louder than before.

George and Hayes could see the eyes of the man turning positively glacial, and his face tightening even more. Once more George Hammond was reminded of just how lethal Jack O'Neill could be when crossed. This had to be handled very delicately, or something would happen that couldn't be taken back.

"I have to retire for medical reasons, Jack," George interjected. He glanced at Hayes, who seemed to be pretty nervous about now. George couldn't blame him.

Jack turned his full attention on Hammond. He was very concerned now, but only raised a single brow in question.

"I have a heart condition, Jack," George explained. "My doctors said if I don't retire, and take it very easy, I'll have a heart attack inside of three months, probably fatal."

Jack refocused on the President. "Why me?" he demanded.

Hayes noticed that despite George's revelation, O'Neill had still not agreed to the assignment. This was definitely not going as he had wished. He had desperately wanted to avoid making it an order.

"George and the Joint Chiefs all agree that you're the only one qualified to replace him," Hayes explained.

"Bullshit," Jack said defiantly.

"Jack," George chided. "What's the real problem, Son?"

Jack looked at Hammond. "I'm tired, George, and things are finally right for me and Carter to be together. I won't lose her again."

George settled back in the couch. Now the real reason was out there. He'd had his suspicions once Sam had called off her engagement to that detective. He knew that Jack and she had not crossed the regs, but Jack wanting to retire so suddenly now made sense. He looked over at the President and nodded. George had spoken about this becoming something before.

"I can't change the regs for you at this time, Jack," Hayes said with a real hint of regret in his voice. "But I can direct that no fraternization charges ever be laid against the two of you."

"Fuck," Jack exhaled and took a seat.

"It takes care of the problem, Jack," George told him.

"Not by a long shot," Jack replied. He ran his hand through his hair. "I don't give a shit about the regs," he explained. "It's Carter. We talked about this a long time ago, once. I told her that I was sure that you wouldn't charge us, George, since we were too important to the program."

"You were right," George admitted reluctantly. The Commander-in-Chief was in the room, after all.

"She wouldn't have any part of it," Jack told them. "She may not like the regs, but as long as they're in place, she insists on following them. There's no way she'll be in a relationship with me as long as the regs apply to us."

Hayes was sympathetic. He really was. Unfortunately, he needed Jack O'Neill to replace George. "I'm sorry, Jack, but I'm going to have to insist on you replacing George." He could see that Jack was seriously pissed off. "Give me a year, Jack. Please."

Jack glared fiercely. "One year," he told the President. "I want that in writing. I get to retire in one year if I choose. That or you make damn sure that the regs are changed for personnel involved with the Program in any way. As it is, you better hope that she doesn't find some other schmuck to make a life with."

Henry Hayes took that to be a serious threat, and he knew the mans record. This was definitely not someone to take lightly. He held out his hand. "Deal," he said with relief. "I'll have the official paperwork sent to you at the SGC tomorrow and you can report to your new office next Monday."

"I want Hank Landry to command the SGC," Jack said instantly.

"Landry?" Hayes asked. He'd never heard of him.

"Major General Hank Landry," Jack supplied. "He's an old friend of mine and a good officer. I trust him to keep the SGC running like it is and not make waves."

"Does he know about the Stargate?" Hayes inquired.

"No, but I can let him know when I get to Colorado Springs and ask him if he wants the job," Jack told him. "He'll jump at the chance once he recovers from the shock."

"If he accepts let me know and George will cut the orders," Hayes said after a moment. He stood. "I'm sorry that this had to happen, Jack."

"Frankly, Sir, your apology means exactly jack shit to me," Jack said and then walked out without a hint of courtesy.

"I told you he would be angry," George said as he stood to go after Jack. "That's also on top of not liking you for relieving me last year."

"I know," Hayes said sadly. He was still cleaning up the mess from having listened to that ass Kinsey.

"I'll smooth it over as much as I can, but don't hold your breath," George said as he left the Oval Office.

George caught up with Jack in the West Wing parking lot where Jack's car and driver were waiting. He told Jack to wait a minute.

"I'm really sorry about this, Son," he said to the younger man.

"I'm not mad at you, George," Jack sighed. "Is your medical report really that bad?" he asked.

"I'm afraid so," George replied. "It's time I retire anyway. My Granddaughters are growing up and I want to be around to see them when they're adults. Maybe even having kids of their own."

"I can't argue with that, but damn it! Can't Carter and I ever catch a break?" Jack sighed.

"Talk to her, Jack," George advised. "Let her know why it's so important that I retire now. Also let her know about the agreement you have with Henry. She'll wait for you this time."

"I sure hope so," Jack said darkly. "I've waited eight years, George. I won't wait much longer. I almost lost her this year. I'm not making the same mistake."

"I know," George assured him. "I'll rent you my townhouse, fully furnished, Jack. You can stay with me when you get back here next week. I'll be moving to Colorado in the next couple of weeks."

"Thanks, George," Jack shook his hand. "Now I have to figure out how the hell I'm going to explain this to Carter. She's going to kick my ass for sure."

George laughed. "Godspeed, Son," he clapped Jack on the back and then made his way back to the West Wing. He still had some more things to discuss with the President.

"I have to have pissed off the man upstairs because my life is hell," Jack muttered as he got into the backseat of his staff car and ordered the driver to take him to Andrews. He pulled out his cell phone and punched one on the speed dial. It took only one ring to get an answer. "Carter? We need to talk," he said as he winced. He just knew that he was going to be yelled at. Oh well. Life was hell and he was living it. 'One more year,' he said to himself as he started explaining to Carter what had happened. 'One more year.'

_**One Year Later, Oval Office, White House, Washington, DC**_

This couldn't be happening, Major General Jack O'Neill thought as he sat ramrod straight in the Oval Office listening to the President. Just the day before he and Sam had had 'the talk' before she left on a mission to try and wipe out that Supergate. And what a talk! Images of hot monkey sex with Carter floated in his mind all night long after that conversation. So this morning he had obeyed his marching orders and hightailed it to the White House to personally hand his letter of retirement to the President. He already had his office cleared of his personal items so that his deputy could take over until a permanent replacement could be found, probably Hank Landry. He had a flight arranged for Colorado Springs for that afternoon. Then, after four days of rearranging his house so that she could move in, she would return from her mission. At that point all bets were off as the bliss, and especially the games, would begin. The prize, namely Carter, was his after nine long and seriously frustrating years. That was until he entered the Oval Office and saw the Joint Chiefs siting stone faced with the President. He could hear the almost painful thud as all his careful plans came crashing down.

"I'm sorry, Jack, but you can't retire," Hayes said.

Jack saw that the man was actually sorry about this, but sorry just didn't equal hot, sweaty monkey sex with Carter. Not even close. Granted, the whole having a life together was part of the equation, and he was looking forward to that part, too, but come on. Nine years of wanting her and then spending the last year marking every day faithfully on his bedside and office calendars had to be rewarded somehow, didn't it?

Jack recalled the conversation the day before and his marching orders from Carter. It was the conversation he had been dreaming of for nine long years.

_Jack had cozied up to Carter in front of the fire place in her house in Colorado Springs. Thanks to some cool Asgard beaming technology provided by his buddy Thor, he was able to come to Colorado Springs occasionally, usually to see Carter. He was not really in the best of moods considering her mission that she would be leaving on in the morning. Taking the fight directly to the Ori by attempting to sabotage the use of the Supergate was a risky proposition at best. As it was they weren't sure that all the ships that would be converging to battle the Ori would be enough. Unfortunately, he knew she was the only one who could pull this off._

_"You're worried," Carter stated from her comfortable position against his side._

_She felt that they were technically breaking the regs with even this, but Jack was retiring the next day, so she had decided to be slightly flexible._

_"Why shouldn't I be?" he asked a bit rhetorically. "I hate it when you go out on missions and I'm not there to watch your six."_

_"I know," she said softly. The a wicked grin lit her face. "You know we have some serious catch up to do when I get back."_

_Jack, usually a bit slow when it came to Carter, was confused. "Huh?" he asked._

_"I've been fantasizing about having my wicked way with you for the last nine years, Major General Jack O'Neill," she told him._

_"Oh!" the light bulb turned on in his head. He got a bit mischievous. "All you had to do was ask, Carter. I wasn't the one who derailed the whole plan."_

_"I should kick you ass for a comment like that," she warned. She knew that he had hated her views on the subject, but he loved her enough to respect them. That saved him from a serious row the night before his retirement. "Instead, I have some instructions for you, Airman."_

_Jack straightened a bit. He loved it when she got into her commanding officer mode. "I'm at your orders, Ma'am," he told her._

_"Then tomorrow morning, bright and early, I expect you to march into President Hayes' office and hand in your retirement," she instructed._

_"Yes Ma'am!" he said with real enthusiasm. While he had been retiring the year before because he desperately wanted to be with Carter, he was now wanting to retire because of that, but also because he was very tired. He was feeling old, and no matter what Carter and everyone else told him to the contrary, he felt it._

_"When I get back, I expect a long, hot bath in my tub, and then a wonderful soak in the hot tub at your place," she informed him._

_"No problemo," he told her. He'd kept his house here in the Springs after having considered selling it. If he was only going to be gone a year with the new job, why give up such a great place? He'd put in the hot tub a few months earlier._

_"That hot tub is going to be for the two of us that night, Jack, and there is a no clothing allowed rule for our soak," she informed him._

_Visions of Carter naked danced in his mind when she said that, and he had to think of every horrible thing he could to not get hard right then. Life was so fucking unfair at times._

_"And is there anything that we should be doing while in the tub?" he asked hopefully._

_Sam smiled widely. "I intend to ride you until we can't see straight," she told him directly and in a sultry voice. She then proceeded to let him know just what she liked and what she wanted by way of that impending night of hot sex and total passion._

Shaking his head to clear those thoughts from his mind in order to get back to the matter at hand, Jack simply held out his hand, palm up.

"Jack?" Hayes asked.

"Let's have it," Jack demanded. "I want in my hand right now the change in regs so that my plans of getting some inside of the next week don't go down in flames. Carter will never believe me unless that one is signed, sealed, and delivered into her hot little hands."

"About that, Jack," General Francis, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, said from his seat. He hadn't believed the stories of Jack's confrontation with Hammond and the President a year before, but seeing this, he was forced to concede that the rumors were true.

"I am so fucked!" Jack said explosively. He leveled a glare at the President. "I trusted you, God dammit! I had to do some fancy talking to keep Carter from kicking my ass a year ago. I even agreed, for George's sake, to try and get along with you, and I don't even like you for God's sake!"

He remembered vividly the conversation with Carter the year before when he had called to let her know that the celebration culminating in hot monkey sex was off the agenda for another year.

_"Carter? We need to talk," he said as confidently as he could when he got into the back seat of the staff car that was assigned to him._

_"What did you do now?" came the demanding voice that he was dreading at the moment. Yep. He was so screwed._

_"Took a new job in DC replacing Hammond," he said all in one breath as quickly as he could. There was no reaction, and total silence on the other end of the line. Finally he got a reaction._

_"WHAT???" came the response. It was so loud that he had to actually hold the cell phone away from his ear, and he had the volume on the damn thing as low as it could go to begin with. He heard a dish smashing somewhere and he guessed she had gotten mad enough to throw something. He prayed it wasn't his good china he kept at the cabin._

_He gulped. "They won't let me retire and Hayes ordered me to replace Hammond who has to retire for medical reasons," he explained. "I get a promotion out of the deal," he added, hoping she would be happy about that._

_"I don't give a flying fuck about any promotions," she told him fiercely. "I care about us. This was supposed to be our time, Sir."_

_He silently cursed. She was back to the 'Sir' bullshit again. Damn._

_"I made a deal, Carter," he told her._

_"What kind of deal," she spat out._

_"I get to retire in one year, or if I can't then the regs get changed so we can be together. We just have to hold on for one more year," he pleaded._

_"One more year, Jack O'Neill," she told him. "You better now screw this up again."_

_"We can at least cuddle a bit when I come out to visit," he suggested. He was desperate at this point and was not above a little pleading and begging for any crumbs she may be willing to share with him._

_"Sorry, Mister," she let him down. "No retirement, or no change in regs means no nothing. You know how I feel about that. Our little talk just this morning is too far as it is."_

_"Uh huh," he said in a completely deflated tone._

_"Daniel, Teal'c, and I will head back to Colorado Springs tomorrow morning," she told him. "I'll see you when we get back. When do you report to the Pentagon?"_

_"Monday," he cringed._

_"I'll organize something for your going away party," she offered. _

_"I'm really sorry, Carter," he told her honestly._

_"It's not your fault, Jack," she said and then hung up._

Jack still had nightmares about that call and her somewhat angry glare when he saw her when they got back from the cabin.

The Joint Chiefs were stunned at the outburst, and shocked that anyone in the military would speak to the Commander-in-Chief like that. Even considering that this was Jack O'Neill, who had a temper as bad as anyone's, it was beyond what they had ever expected. They didn't say anything though since Hayes was taking it without umbrage, and also because they had to admit that Jack O'Neill had been royally shafted.

"Would it help if I talked with Colonel Carter?" Hayes asked.

"And say what?" Jack spat as he looked at the man incredulously. "'I'm sorry Colonel Carter, but you know all those hot plans you and General O'Neill had for next week? They can't happen because we need him here and the regs couldn't be changed for some reason.' That will get me exactly nowhere. I'll be lucky if the love of my life even speaks to me again."

"The war is heating up too fast for a change in leadership right now," Hayes pressed. "And we found that we couldn't change the regs without revealing the program."

"So I get royally screwed by the people who I had a written agreement with?" Jack harshly stated. He stood up and glared at the President. "Thanks for nothing you lying son-of-a-bitch," he said as he executed an about face and walked out of the Oval Office slamming the door after him.

Hayes held up his hand. "Don't do or say anything to him about this," he ordered the four four star Generals and two four star Admirals seated in the room. "We did screw him over and he called it like it is. We are lying sons-of-bitches."

Jack strode outside and walked straight to his waiting car. He was enraged at the moment, and he was in no mood to hang around. He checked his watch and saw that it was still an hour before Carter and SG-1 beamed to the Orion for the mission. Sighing deeply, and saying a short prayer, he opened his cell phone and punched one on the old speed dial. He sighed inwardly as she picked up the other end.

"Carter?" he asked. "Sit down for this one, and before you say anything it isn't my fault, I swear!" he began even as he cringed.

_**One Year Later, SGC Main Briefing Room**_

__Jack had been whistling his favorite Simpson's tune as he entered the briefing room. It had been another year and he had survived it, just barely. If he'd been tired the year before, he was downright exhausted now. Hayes was more than willing to accept his retirement letter the next day, though he'd let Jack know that Jack could stay on if he wished. The evening before had been one more glorious phone conversation with Carter who had once again let him know just what was expected of him the next day. First was his meeting with Hayes. Then one last stop at the Pentagon to sign the final retirement forms and pick up his new ID since he was still a primary advisor to the whole Stargate Program. That had been Hayes' demand, but Jack had agreed since it would let him come to the SGC and see Carter and the guys anytime he wanted. After that was a beam out to home in Colorado Springs to a waiting, and very, very naked Carter.

"General," a nervous looking Woolsey said as he entered. The man was leaving in a hurry and whisked by Jack.

"Richard," Jack said politely. He actually liked the little pansy, and he had to admit that the guy hadn't done half bad on Atlantis considering how out of his depth Richard was during that crisis. Turning to face those left in the room, he saw Daniel, Teal'c, Hank, and Carter. Mitchell seemed to be absent from the festivities. Oh well, he'd catch up with him later. "What's up, Campers?" he boomed out.

Hank shot up. "I've got another call to make," he said hastily. He left in a hurry.

"I am late for an appointment, O'Neill," Teal'c said and he, too, left the room.

"Daniel?" Jack asked with a raised brow.

"Uh, I have to get back to some translations," Daniel quickly said as he grabbed his files and cup of coffee. He hurried out the door without another word.

"What the hell's gotten into them?" Jack asked as he walked over to the conference table and took a seat next to Carter.

Sam wordlessly slid over the classified file that she had seen for the first time a few minutes ago. It had been a shock, to say the least.

Jack opened the file and quickly read the information. At first he smiled as he saw she had been promoted to full Colonel. Personally he thought she should be skipped a grade and made a one star general, but that would come soon enough. Then he read the next paragraph. His eyes widened as he took in what was written. He hadn't been told anything of this.

"You've been what???" Jack shouted loudly.

"I've been assigned to command the Atlantis Expedition," Sam said softly. She was near tears at this point. The war with the Ori was now over and she and Jack were finally going to be together.

Jack looked as if he'd been gut shot. The war was over. He was only checking in and getting ready to hand in his long awaited retirement to the President the next day. Now this. The sickening thud of the previous year was back, only this time he wasn't being screwed over, it was Carter. He was just collateral damage this time around.

"It's only for a year," Sam said half heartedly.

"Who's brilliant idea was this?" Jack asked.

"Woolsey recommended me," Sam revealed.

"I should have let the Replicators kill the sniveling pansy," Jack swore fiercely. Then Jack deflated. "I'm sorry, Sam. This is a damn good assignment for you, and you'll be getting stars with this one under your belt. You can't turn it down. Not this one."

"But what about us, Jack," Sam asked, using his first name for one of the rare times in a decade.

"I won't retire yet, and we can start again next year," he said morosely. He was tired and wanted to retire, but he couldn't possibly retire while Sam was mixing it up in the Pegasus Galaxy with the Replicators and the Wraith. He had to be available to cover her six like she'd always done for him. He loved her too much to not continue on now.

"I'm sorry, Jack," Sam said from next to him, her hand in his.

"It's not your fault, Sam," Jack said morosely. He gave her hand a squeeze. "Go on and tell everyone what's happening. I need to call the President and let him know I'm not retiring yet."

"I have something I need to do in the lab," Sam said quietly. "Are you coming over for dinner?"

Jack turned to look at her, keeping his hand in hers. "Yeah," he said. "How about I come down to the lab after I talk to Hayes. We can head out after that."

"Sounds great, Jack," Sam said with as much of a smile as she could muster. She gave his hand one more squeeze and then left the room.

Jack leaned back in his chair as he fished out his cell phone. Looking up, he sighed loudly. "You know, Big Guy, a little help down here wouldn't hurt," he implored the man in the heavens. "Haven't we served our time in hell long enough?"

_**One Year Later, AU Earth, Apartment of Colonel Samantha Carter (Ret.)**_

__The timeline had changed. Jack was dead and she was no longer a member of the Air Force, though this timeline had recognized her commission and retired her at full colonels benefits and pay. She was, for the first time, unpacking her clothes and putting away her old SGC desert camo uniform. They'd let her keep them, thankfully. She felt a weight in one of the open pockets and reached in, pulling out a small black velvet box and a piece of paper. Her eyes widened as she realized that Jack, in his final seconds, must have slipped them to her. She shakily unfolded the paper and with a gasp saw a signed Presidential waiver of the fraternization regulations in the case of one Major General Jack O'Neill and Colonel Samantha Carter. She opened the box and almost fainted. In it was a diamond engagement ring. A slip of paper was curled into the ring. Taking it out, she read it, the tears falling down her cheeks.

_Dear Sam, I know this isn't the usual way, but then when have we ever done anything normally? This was my Grandmother's and I want you to have it, if you'll make me the happiest, and luckiest, man in any universe and be my wife. Will you marry me? All my love, Jack._

Sam remembered when Ba'al had stabbed Jack. She'd been shocked to the core and had rushed to his side. He had ordered them in a pain filled voice to get to the Gate. He'd pleaded with them, if truth be told. He'd known he was dying. The look in his eyes as he lay dying in her arms was the worst sight she had ever seen. He was sad, angry, and lastly defeated all in one look. He looked at her and with his last second mouthed 'I love you' silently to her and then died.

Sam cursed herself for having taken the Atlantis assignment this past year. Jack had been ready to retire, and since the war with the Ori was over, the President had agreed to allow him to do so. Instead of turning to Woolsey and Landry to tell them no, she had agreed. Jack had been right. She couldn't turn down the assignment. Her career meant a lot to both her and Jack, and he knew that the assignment pretty much guaranteed her the single star of a Brigadier General soon after the Atlantis assignment was completed. In fact, she had been notified of a promotion and the new assignment of overseeing the construction of the new Moon Base that was being designed. Once completed, she would be placed in command of the base which would be the primary base of operations for the Battlecruiser Fleet that Earth was continuing to build, and it would also be the new construction site for any new cruisers. With Jack dead, though, and the timeline altered, it was all meaningless now, and the sacrifices were too much to have been made.

The Jack of this timeline had not even known them, and had been arrogant and rude to the point of mocking them on the sub. It certainly wasn't her Jack, and the idea of living in this timeline, or any timeline, without her Jack was devastating.

Sam spent several hours crying as she held the Presidential Waiver, the marriage proposal, and the ring clutched to her breast. Finally she was cried out and fell asleep from emotional exhaustion. When she woke, she looked down and slipped the ring on her left ring finger. She took the marriage proposal and kissed it before placing it and the waiver in her wallet. Then she looked up at the ceiling. "I will make this right, Jack O'Neill, and when it is you better be ready because we will be married. I promise," she told his spirit, essence, or whatever. With that resolve, she began to plan for the future.

_**Reset Timeline, Ba'al's Execution**_

__"Moonbase?" Jack asked. He knew exactly what she was talking about, but had no desire to speak of such trifling concerns. There were more important things to discuss. He slipped a small box and piece of paper out of his TAC vest and handed them over. "Got a little something for ya, Carter," he said simply.

He watched as Sam unfolded the paper and read the Presidential Waiver with widening eyes. Then she shakily opened the small ring box. A shimmer was in her eyes now and he kept his eyes on her as she took the slip of rolled up paper out of the ring and read his proposal.

"I know it's not a down on bended knee kind of proposal, but it doesn't mean I'm any less serious," Jack said as he grew concerned as she just stood there stock still.

Sam didn't respond right away. Something, somehow, let her know that she had read this before, but not in this reality. It was another reality where she was emotionally shattered and Jack was dead. Shaking off the deja-vu feeling, she turned to him and smiled.

"It's perfect," she told him.

"Is that a yes?" Jack asked. He didn't want to sound dense, but he wanted nothing left to chance this time.

"Yes," Sam said as she slid the ring on her left hand. She then launched herself into his arms and placed her head in the crook of his neck. "It's finally time for us," she told him.

"Thank God," he said in complete relief. He held her close, not really wanting to end the moment. After eight years of hell and then three years of purgatory, he was finally experiencing a small bit of heaven.

_**One Year Later, Moon Base, Farside of the Moon**_

__General Jack O'Neill, recently promoted to full General, walked with real purpose to the office of his fiancée, Major General Sam Carter. The moon base had been completed two months previously using the advanced building techniques that the Asgard had left them and the help of several prominent alien allies. It was a sprawling complex with fifteen massive hangers and repair bays, three construction facilities, and a large underground complex that housed various science and technical R&D facilities, as well as most of the offices and conference rooms. All total, the complex as a whole was larger than most of the large scale military bases on Earth, and had over 16,000 personnel. An Asgard cloaking mechanism kept the base hidden. It would be utilized even after the existence of the Stargate became public knowledge in the next couple of years. Sam had been given a second star and made the Base Commander once the base had been completed. She was young still for that rank, but she had earned it and Jack had made damn certain that she had been promoted for all of her hard work and sacrifices.

When Jack reached her office, he casually leaned against the door frame as he took in the sight of her working on the mountain of paperwork that came with the job. He had never grown tired of watching her work in all the years he had known her, and he never would. Like her, he was wearing the olive green flight suit that most wore when on an offworld base. He was proud of the two stars on each shoulder that signified her rank. His four stars were not really important to him, but the President had practically begged him to stay on and run all of Earth's space and Stargate operations and the new Commander-in-Chief of Earth's Interplanetary Forces, with the third and fourth star offered as an inducement to accept. Who was he to turn down some added clout that the extra stars brought? It was a highly classified position, and for public consumption until the programs became public, he was known as the Chief Inspector General of all US Joint Theater Commands. He had a section of his staff that handled any such Inspector General duties for him to make it believable.

"Working hard?" he asked when he decided to interrupt her.

Sam looked up and smiled widely. She'd been wishing for an interruption from all the incessant paperwork that she was now responsible for. All the times she and the others had laughed at Jack's bitching about paperwork were now coming back to haunt her.

"Always," she replied as she stood up. "What are you doing here?"

"Wanted to get out of the office for a bit, so I decided to come to the base and see how things are running," he told her as he went over and took a seat.

Sam sat down again. "Pretty good," she sighed. "We've began construction on a new Daedalus cruiser, and we are beginning to convert a section of one facility to produce 302's to ease construction on Earth."

"How's the basing of the ships for repair and resupply going?" Jack asked. He had read all the reports himself and knew what was going on, but he liked getting some firsthand reports verbally. The fact that he got to see Carter up close and personal was a bonus.

"Three cruisers are currently on base, and they will be resupplied in two weeks," she told him. "We're still working out the kinks in the process, but I have some ideas that should help. If you like we can go and do an onsite of one of the resupply operations this afternoon."

"Cool," Jack said nonchalantly.

Sam smirked. "Okay, why are you really here?" she demanded.

"Booty call?" he said innocently with a quick waggle of his eye brows.

Sam's jaw fell at that one, and then she realized that he was teasing her. With Jack it was hard to tell, especially as his sex drive was as strong as any she'd ever heard of. She loved that side of him, and was just as ready, willing, and able as he was. How couldn't she after all the years of waiting? He was the perfect male in her opinion and now he was hers. She smiled as she remembered his response when she had come on to him the first time they had sex a year before. "Let the GAMES begin!" he'd said loudly and enthusiastically.

"I should slap you for that one," she told him as she blushed slightly.

Jack laughed. "So I guess a quickie in your quarters is out, huh?" he teased some more.

"Good guess," she laughed.

"I just wanted to see you," he finally told her honestly. That was the truth. For the past year, he'd done everything possible to spend time with her. He had really opened up and let her know how he had been feeling the previous several years and how he had considered it his own personal hell and purgatory.

Sam almost melted as she always did when he said stuff like that. He was an intensely private person, even in their relationship, but he always knew what to say to make things alright, even when she was pissed as hell at him. He was also very tactile, so when he wasn't saying much, his touch spoke volumes. Whether it was an arm over her shoulder, or a hand in the small of her back as they walked together, he was communicating.

"I also wanted to let you know that a new building has been approved for the base," he continued.

She sat up straight at that one. "Why haven't I heard of this?" she asked.

"I only just found out that we got approval," he explained. "It's been debated for as long as this base was being considered. We're adding a multi story Admin. Building at the edge of the hillside range. It's going to house not only your command, but mine, too. Homeworld Security and Interplanetary Forces is leaving the Pentagon and working out of here."

"What about the IOA?" she asked curiously. She loved the idea of the basing of Jack's command here. It would mean that he would be living on base, and that likely meant that they would share quarters. They were going to be married in two months, after all.

"They'll be here, too, but their authority is now going to be purely advisory and liaison limited so that the allied governments will have input and updated information. They stepped on too many toes when they started to independently operate," Jack informed her. "The President and the allied leadership finally decided to reorient them."

"It's about time," Sam agreed. "How long until the building is completed and when are you moving your command?"

Jack grinned. "That's the beauty of it," he went on. "I move my command in two weeks, and the building is to be completed in three months. I figure I can use some spare offices here for the time being."

She quirked a brow. "What about quarters?" she asked.

His grin widened. "Have you given any thought to having a room mate?" he asked with a twinkle in his eyes.

"Maybe, but I'm pretty demanding, you know," she teased.

"Oh?" he asked. He loved the banter they engaged in. It was like old times, times he had missed the last few years he'd been at the SGC before taking over Homeworld Security.

"I need my daily full body massage, daily manicure and pedicure," she began to itemize a dream list. "Then there's the daily breakfast in bed, nightly praise detailing how wonderful I am,..."

"Huh?" Jack looked at her through wide eyes. She sounded serious. He was always clueless when she did this as she used her serious tone and the look that usually meant 'do it or else.'

"Just the basic necessities of life, Flyboy," she let him know. "Then there's the sex two times a night and once in the morning. Don't worry about the stamina. If you peter out, we can always lay in a supply of those wonderful little blue pills."

Then he knew she was teasing. "You had me there for a minute," he chuckled.

"We can negotiate the minimum number of times we have sex," she offered with a chuckle and a wink.

"Sweet!" Jack grinned. He was enjoying this side of Carter. He stood up and held out his hand. "How about we head out for some lunch and then take a look at that resupply effort? After that, we can discuss this room mate thing a bit more. In private," he added with a wink.

"You're the boss," she said with a knowing grin.

They both laughed as they walked out the door of her office. Jack was happy and was beginning to believe that his life was now in the right place: Heaven. He'd had enough of Hell, and was pretty sure that his time in Purgatory had not been a picnic, either. Now he could enjoy the finer things in life. Like hot sweaty monkey sex with Carter! Sweet!


End file.
